Lagos, Nigeria – October 3, 2025 — Legal experts and civil society organisations have warned that almost all Nigerians are deprived of access to justice, calling for urgent reforms and stronger collaboration to advance public interest litigation in the country.
The call was made during a special session hosted by Spaces for Change (S4C) at the PILNet Africa Regional Convening on Public Interest Litigation in Lagos.
The event, organised by PILNet, brought together legal practitioners, researchers, and civil society advocates to discuss how public interest litigation can be used to address systemic injustices in Nigeria.
In a panel discussion, Prof. Adebisi Arewa of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies described access to justice as “the most essential human right,” lamenting that 99.99 per cent of Nigerians lack access to justice. He stressed that without justice, development is undermined and human dignity eroded.
Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Chairman, Alex Morka, urged the NBA to institutionalise pro bono legal services nationwide and praised judges who assign senior lawyers to defend indigent citizens in capital cases.
Representing the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr Lucas Koyejo raised concerns about alleged rights violations in Lagos. He disclosed that the NHRC Lagos office, which serves over 20 million residents, is manned by only 12 lawyers, including himself. “We receive countless complaints daily, but our capacity remains overstretched,” he said.
Speakers at the convening agreed that inadequate access to justice is one of Nigeria’s most pressing governance challenges. They argued that strategic litigation not only exposes systemic flaws but also provides lifelines for marginalised citizens.
Legal experts concluded that strengthening public interest litigation, mandating pro bono legal services, and adequately resourcing human rights institutions are key steps needed to restore justice and accountability in Nigeria.
